1st Shamu'AL (1 Samuel) — 14
Yunathan’s Daring Plan
1 One day Yunathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” But Yunathan did not tell his father what he was doing.
2 Meanwhile, Shaul and his six hundred men were camped on the outskirts of Gibaah, around the pomegranate tree at Migrun.
3 Among Shaul’s men was Ahijah the Kuhan, who was wearing the ephod, the Kuhan vest. Ahijah was the son of Ichabud’s brother Ahitub, son of Phinahas, son of Ali, the Kuhan of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH who had served at Shiluh. No one realized that Yunathan had left the Yasharalym camp.
4 To reach the Philistine outpost, Yunathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs that were called Buzaz and Sanah.
5 The cliff on the north was in front of Micmash, and the one on the south was in front of Gaba.
6 “Let us go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Yunathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will help us, for nothing can hinder 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. He can win a battle whether He has many warriors or only a few!”
7 “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”
8 “Yunathan said to him; All right then, “We will cross over and let them see us.
9 If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we will kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them.
10 But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be sign of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, that He will help us defeat them.”
11 When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Abarym (Hebrews) are crawling out of their holes!”
12 Then the men from the outpost shouted to Yunathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” Come on, ”Yunathan said to his armor bearer; climb right behind me, “for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will help us defeat them!”
13 So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Yunathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them.
14 They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.
15 Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified.
Yashar'AL Defeats the Philistines
16 Shaul’s lookouts in Gibaah of Banyamin saw a strange sight, the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction.
17 “Call the roll and find out who’s missing,” Shaul ordered. And when they checked, they found that Yunathan and his armor bearer were gone.
18 Then Shaul shouted to Ahijah, “Bring the aphod here!” For at that time Ahijah was wearing the aphod in front of the Yasharalym.
19 But while Shaul was talking to the Kuhan, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Shaul said to the Kuhan, “Never mind; let’s get going!”
20 Then Shaul and all his men rushed out to the battle and found the Philistines killing each other. There was terrible confusion everywhere.
21 Even the Abarym (Hebrews) who had previously gone over to the Philistine army revolted and joined in with Shaul, Yunathan, and the rest of the Yasharalym.
22 Likewise, the men of Yashar'AL who were hiding in the hill country of Aphraim joined the chase when they saw the Philistines running away.
23 So 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH saved Yashar'AL that day, and the battle continued to rage even beyond Bath-aban.
Shaul’s Foolish Oath
24 Now the men of Yashar'AL were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Shaul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening, before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day,
25 even though they had all found honeycomb on the ground in the forest.
26 They did not dare touch the honey because they all feared the oath they had taken.
27 But Yunathan had not heard his father’s command, and he dipped the end of his stick into a piece of honeycomb and ate the honey. After he had eaten it, he felt refreshed.
28 But one of the men saw him and said, “Your father made the army take a strict oath that anyone who eats food today will be cursed. That is why everyone is weary and faint.”
29 “My father has made trouble for us all!” Yunathan exclaimed. “A command like that only hurts us. See how refreshed I am now that I have eaten this little bit of honey.
30 If the men had been allowed to eat freely from the food they found among our enemies, think how many more Philistines we could have killed!”
31 They chased and killed the Philistines all day from Micmash to Aiyalun, growing more and more faint.
32 That evening they rushed for the battle plunder and butchered the sheep, goats, cattle, and calves, but they ate them without draining the blood.
33 Someone reported to Shaul, “Look, the men are sinning against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH by eating meat that still has blood in it.” That is very wrong,” Shaul said. “Find a large stone and roll it over here.
34 Then go out among the troops and tell them, ‘Bring the cattle, sheep, and goats here to me. Kill them here, and drain the blood before you eat them. Do not sin against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH by eating meat with the blood still in it.’ So that night all the troops brought their animals and slaughtered them there.
35 Then Shaul built an altar to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH it was the first of the altars he built to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.
36 Then Shaul said, “Let’s chase the Philistines all night and plunder them until sunrise. Let’s destroy every last one of them.” and his men replied, “We’ll do whatever you think is best.” But the Kuhan said, “Let’s ask our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH first.”
37 So Shaul asked 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, “Should we go after the Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?” But 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH made no reply that day.
38 Then Shaul said to the leaders, Something is wrong! I want all my army commanders to come here. We must find out what sin was committed today.
39 I vow by the name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH who rescued Yashar'AL that the sinner will surely die, even if it is my own son Yunathan!” But no one would tell him what the trouble was.
40 Then Shaul said, “Yunathan and I will stand over here, and all of you stand over there.” And the people responded to Shaul, “Whatever you think is best.”
41 Then Shaul prayed, “O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, please show us who is guilty and who is innocent.” Then they cast sacred lots, and Yunathan and Shaul were chosen as the guilty ones, and the people were declared innocent.
42 Then Shaul said, “Now cast lots again and choose between me and Yunathan.” And Yunathan was shown to be the guilty one.
43 “Tell me what you have done,” Shaul demanded of Yunathan. “I tasted a little honey,” Yunathan admitted. “It was only a little bit on the end of my stick. Does that deserve death?”
44 “Shaul replied to Yunathan; Yes, “you must die! May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH strike me and even kill me if you do not die for this.”
45 But the people broke in and said to Shaul, “Yunathan has won this great victory for Yashar'AL. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Yunathan, and he was not put to death.
46 Then Shaul called back the army from chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines returned home.
Shaul’s Military Successes
47 Now when Shaul had secured his grasp on Yashar'AL’s throne, he fought against his enemies in every direction, against Muab, Ammun, Adum, the kings of Zubah, and the Philistines, and wherever he turned, he was victorious.
48 He performed great deeds and conquered the Amalakites, saving Yashar'AL from all those who had plundered them.
49 Shaul’s sons included Yunathan, Ishbushath, and Malkishua, king Shaul also had two daughters: Marab, who was older, and Michal.
50 Shaul’s wife was Ahinuam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of Shaul’s army was Abner, the son of Shaul’s uncle Nar.
51 Shaul’s father, Kish, and Abnar’s father, Ner, were both sons of Abial.
52 The Yasharalym fought constantly with the Philistines throughout Shaul’s lifetime. So whenever Shaul observed a young man who was brave and strong, he drafted him into his army.